A new mechanism for tree mortality due to drought and heatwaves
Plants tend to die earlier in hot and drought conditions, but the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood. I propose here a new mechanism by which excessive residual water losses caused by high cuticular permeabilities and a high leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficits would trigger uncontrolled an...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Peer Community In
2021-11-01
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Series: | Peer Community Journal |
Online Access: | https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.45/ |
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author | Cochard, Hervé |
author_facet | Cochard, Hervé |
author_sort | Cochard, Hervé |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Plants tend to die earlier in hot and drought conditions, but the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood. I propose here a new mechanism by which excessive residual water losses caused by high cuticular permeabilities and a high leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficits would trigger uncontrolled and sudden cavitation events. The combination of heat and drought stresses may therefore lead to an unsuspected risk of hydraulic failure. I explored this hypothesis with a new mechanistic model. The simulations support this hypothesis and highlight the critical role played by the cuticle phase transition temperature. Experiments are now awaited to confirm these predictions. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:11:30Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-b50abdad1b004496bdc7edaea8784cb5 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2804-3871 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:11:30Z |
publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
publisher | Peer Community In |
record_format | Article |
series | Peer Community Journal |
spelling | doaj.art-b50abdad1b004496bdc7edaea8784cb52023-10-24T14:38:25ZengPeer Community InPeer Community Journal2804-38712021-11-01110.24072/pcjournal.4510.24072/pcjournal.45A new mechanism for tree mortality due to drought and heatwavesCochard, Hervé0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2727-7072Université Clermont-Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, FrancePlants tend to die earlier in hot and drought conditions, but the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood. I propose here a new mechanism by which excessive residual water losses caused by high cuticular permeabilities and a high leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficits would trigger uncontrolled and sudden cavitation events. The combination of heat and drought stresses may therefore lead to an unsuspected risk of hydraulic failure. I explored this hypothesis with a new mechanistic model. The simulations support this hypothesis and highlight the critical role played by the cuticle phase transition temperature. Experiments are now awaited to confirm these predictions.https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.45/ |
spellingShingle | Cochard, Hervé A new mechanism for tree mortality due to drought and heatwaves Peer Community Journal |
title | A new mechanism for tree mortality due to drought and heatwaves |
title_full | A new mechanism for tree mortality due to drought and heatwaves |
title_fullStr | A new mechanism for tree mortality due to drought and heatwaves |
title_full_unstemmed | A new mechanism for tree mortality due to drought and heatwaves |
title_short | A new mechanism for tree mortality due to drought and heatwaves |
title_sort | new mechanism for tree mortality due to drought and heatwaves |
url | https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.45/ |
work_keys_str_mv | AT cochardherve anewmechanismfortreemortalityduetodroughtandheatwaves AT cochardherve newmechanismfortreemortalityduetodroughtandheatwaves |